Going Stag
by Fire and Ice2
Summary: Legolas is getting married but after waking up with another woman on his stag night- he gets doubts- and problems as his wife-to-be finds out. Will him and Aragorn end up stag?drinking games, tarts, warriors, flirting! What man can resist?
1. Airy Thoughts

Disclaimer- I own Arire here and that's it. Oh and the band of wondering gypsies.  
  
A/N: - Stag nights may have not been invented, but the males thought they had better celebrate Legolas' last night as being unattached anyway.  
  
Going Stag- chp1.  
  
Airy thoughts.  
  
After lying to map carefully on the strong oaken table, Aragorn stepped back and told Legolas to pick.  
  
Pulling his clean finger into the air, spinning it around a bit and finally slamming it on the table, the elf exclaimed, "Here!"  
  
Elrohir removed the mans blind fold; this showed Legolas he had chosen- Lorien.  
  
"Oh Valar, why Lorien of all places!" he whined. Aragorn smirked behind his hand, compared to Elrohir who was practically falling over himself with laughter. Wild fun? Dancing women? Drinking games? How could these come about in the golden woods with Galadriel of all elves living there!"  
  
"Let me do it again!" he yelled. Pulling the map swiftly away, Elladan laughed deeply, "I desired to, but the Valar have decided" At this Elrohir doubled over. Luckily a woman entered the sheltered garden and made them all act a bit more manly (Since Legolas was grabbing for the map that Elladan was holding above his head).  
  
"For goodness sakes! What do you four look like exactly?" she snapped fiercely. Legolas nearly fell over himself when he saw her. Arire was standing in the doorway of the outdoor hut that the "boys" were in with both hands resting on both hips and an impatient look on her face.  
  
Trying to soften the mood, Elrohir smoothly glided over to her and with his velvet voice he practically crooned, "Arire, where have you been for so long?" Any normally woman would be trembling at the knees to here the shadowed hair man talk to them like that, but Arire knew better.  
  
Smiling cruelly she whispered, "Avoiding you"  
  
Taking a drastic hit in the pride area, Elrohir retreated wonder when the elf was going to wake up and realise how madly in love with him she was. The other men laughed at him, he never really did take rejection terrifically.  
  
"So where is the little celebration being held?" she asked taking the map out of Elrohir's hand stealthily. Legolas was almost too ashamed to say, the female elf before him had quite the wild reputation as being a bit of a loose cannon, he would never live it down.  
  
"Well . . . Err" he stuttered, "It. . . It hasn't been decided yet"  
  
Seeing straight through him, Arire turned to the blond elf shying away in the corner, "Where's it being held, Elladan? Don't tell me he picked the shire or worse . . . The mines of Moria . . . Or possibly the summit of any random high mountain?" Practically melting at her hard gaze and sharp question, Elladan muttered, "Lorien"  
  
That was it. If Legolas felt as if his ego had been marched up a mountain and rolled down it before, it now felt ten times worse. The young girl fell to the floor in laughter. Using the door frame of the lofty hut in the gardens of Rivendell, shaded beneath large and bright trees, to prop herself up, she managed to spit out, "What fun we shall have there!"  
  
"It will be unbelievably wild and exciting!" retorted the prince defensively.  
  
"Clearly you've never stumbled into Mordor on a Friday night then!" she laughed back at him. Legolas had had enough and pushed past the muddy young girl and back to the last homely house.  
  
The laughter began to die as he left, "Oh Valar, what have I said now?"  
  
Huffing up the stairs to his bedroom, the ranger slumped over the balcony; the laughter had ceased, which made him feel slightly better. Taking off his beaten cloak and folding it over one of the posters on his bed, he fell heavily onto a chair. Why couldn't he be just as tough as Arire in those situations?  
  
Aragorn had met Arire when she was in her late teens; she preferred to say very little about her life and past. They had hunted orc together, camped beneath the stars and Aragorn even had the privilege of seeing her home. She was still young, but being an elf it didn't matter about her age; though at 29, Elrond insisted on calling her "child", which he would reconsider having seen her sword fighting.  
  
Glancing lazily over his hand crafted balcony he watched and listened as the other hung on her every word,  
  
". . . there were five of them. The biggest and ugliest excuses for orc's I'd ever seen. It took me 12 minutes with the first, 6 the next, then 7, then 8, followed finally by 9 minutes before I floored the last one. I really don't know how I did it. The other orc backed off when they saw me do that in one night. I can't believe I got them one after the other. Safe to say it's good to be an elf, my wine capacity is so much higher, but it still took a lot to drink them off the table . . ." Her antics from the previous night, thought Legolas. Though he didn't know her quite as personally as the ranger, he had also spent a great deal of time with her. She was remarkably tough and rough and made other elven girl scowl at her and equally admire her. Most men reacted the same, though some, such as Elladan fell hopelessly for her, luckily enough they were few since most men saw her as there respected equal.  
  
"So how exactly can we make this a night to remember?" Legolas is hardly like you and I" the mirkwood prince heard the young female voice say.  
  
Aragorns gruff yet thoughtful voice responded, "I have no idea"  
  
A few moments of silence pursued before an idea sprung upon Arire, her snowy hand (with mud splattered on it, you couldn't ride through rain for a day and a half on horse back and avoid that), "I have it!"  
  
"You know you are no longer permitted to enter him in card games, Liran forbids it" protested Elrohir moodily, this fact greatly disappointed him, Legolas had once managed to win him a farm house, several women, a bedroom in the inn they played at, a stallion horse and a full round of drinks- the elf was gifted!  
  
Though this news always annoyed her, it wasn't what she had in mind.  
  
"I have a plan but Legolas mustn't know any of it" she then turned her head and shouted over to a balcony, "SO I SHALL TELL YOU SOME WHERE THAT HE DOES NOT EAVESDROP"  
  
Feeling himself bush as furiously, Legolas put his head back into his bedroom, how did she do that?  
  
A/N: - So who is Liran? Why is Arire so mysterious? And what on earth could be more wild than drinking orcs to the floor on a Friday night in Mordor with the middle earth equivalent of moonshine? 


	2. Saying Hi and Goodbye

Disclaimer: - I own Arire; the wondering gypsies and that'd be it.  
  
A/N: - Wooo-hoo reviews! Thank you so very much! Reviews are really cool cause they encourage writers to keep writing.  
  
Going Stag- chp 2  
  
Saying Hi and Goodbye.  
  
Arire walked briskly over to Elrond in his library. The lord of the house was sat nearest a window with a curious book in his hand in a language Arire didn't expect him to understand. As soon as Elrond saw her reading the cover he slammed it shut and face down immediately.  
  
Her cool eyes looked over him, the pale blue taking in every inch of his hand-caught-in-cookie-jar expression. "What are you doing reading that?" she asked calmly- Don't read into this- she thought.  
  
Looking at her with the typical regal stare he told her slowly, "I was trying to make sense of it. BUT not much of it!" He said the words as if he had committed a crime and was deeply sorry for it.  
  
"I hope I am forgiven for this" he said gently the sunlight moving over the worried expression on his face. Arire had known this elf all her life and knew full well of his desperation for knowledge.  
  
Her looks at him were sharp, "I think you a merely sorry that you were caught"  
  
Luckily for the lord, his son galloped in with a few cuts and bruises. Arire grabbed his shoulders to stop him slipping on the recently cleaned floor, it made no difference, he was flung backwards and she tumbled to the floor with him.  
  
With the other elf lying on top of her clumsily trying to get up, the girl took a mock-serious tone, "Elrohir honestly! Pulling me in to your horseplay!" It wasn't long before he offered her his hand and she sprang lightly to her feet, spread widely to reclaim some balance taken by the wet boards.  
  
Elrohir was panting, he had run half the house to find her and thought he got her just in time; he was unaware how right he was. Doubled over a bit, resting his hands on his knees, he tried to tell Arire something between his panting breaths,  
  
"Legolas . . . wants . . . got to . . . get . . ."  
  
Arire was following his words and ushering him to get the last few out. Finally, on the brink of collapsing, the elf spat, "Horses!" Arire caught him as he fell to the floor.  
  
"How far exactly have you ran?" she giggled. Elrohir eventually said, "Around the house very quickly, about 3 times"  
  
Helping him over to her room, the nearest out of hers and his, she sat him to the bed, some how she didn't believe his explanation. Watching the man take large gulps for a beautiful crystal glass and drop it on to the table, she crossed her arms and gave him a questioning look.  
  
Elrohir knew had been seen straight through.  
  
Walking calmly over to him and standing next to him, she retied her hair and arched an eyebrow. "What happened?" Elrohir looked at her- astounded; cut to the chase why don't you?  
  
Letting his eyes wander guiltily around the airy room to avoid Arire's, Elrohir wandered whether he should really tell her the truth. It wasn't until she sat next to him, placing her chin on his shoulder, making his heart, and voice, quiver uncontrollably, that he decided to say something.  
  
Unfortunately, the tremble in his voice made Arire chuckle a bit.  
  
"Me. . . and. . . Ell-Ell-Elladan"  
  
Quite laughter.  
  
"W-w-we . . . well, we, err, we" Tugging at his collar.  
  
More obvious giggling.  
  
"Well, we"  
  
At this Arire burst out, Elrohir self-consciously blush, his warm cheeks going a pretty pink. Arire waved her hand, "I'm sorry. Continue"  
  
"Elladan and I had a . . . well, a fight" he answered eventually, still a bit nervous. Arire had a fierce temper and was bound to take a side and eliminate the opposite argument. Narrowing her eyes she said.  
  
"Bout what?"  
  
"Nothing"  
  
"You fought about nothing?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Truth please!"  
  
"No"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"No"  
  
"Do I have to dangle you over that balcony feet first?"  
  
Elrohir look shiftily around the room, it was along way down and it was safe to bet no one, not even his own brother, wanted to break his fall.  
  
"We were fighting about you," he said suddenly. Arire froze a slight bit dumb-founded; this was last on her list. Acting a bit nervous she asked in a hushed voice, "But why?"  
  
Elrohir thought, hook, line and sinker.  
  
"Well?" she stomped her foot in an impatient way.  
  
"Well, look at that?" Gawping at something near the window, Elrohir bolted out of the door and out of sight. Arire for once didn't give chase, but sat down on the soft linen sheets. She had a feeling he was telling the truth.  
  
"Alright guys, basic survival kit"  
  
"Ready when ever you are Mon Capitan"  
  
"Right. Candles?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Candle guards"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Burn proof, dragon hide gloves?"  
  
"Ooooooo yes" "Wine?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Rum?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"The essential- your lucky under wear?"  
  
Pulling the waist band of some blue shorts, "Wearing 'em, Aragorn"  
  
"Er, have I missed anything?"  
  
"Compass, map?" said Elladan, knowing full well of Aragorns plan to get thoroughly sozzled.  
  
"We ARE the maps"  
  
Elladan rolled his eyes; this wasn't looking good at all. At that moment, the solid door of the room the males had gathered in flew open and the tall and slender Arire, now in clean trousers and a long white (and clearly made for a man) shirt, stood in it. Walking forward with an air of leadership around her, making Elladan more nervous than he cared to admit, she wove herself between the elves and man standing by the elvish crafted table complete with twirling cravings that made you feel serene just for looking at it. The light picked up the worn lines of the rangers face as the youthful elf approached, "Don't forget to bring an open mind for what I've planned?" she grinned; Aragorn gave her a not-so-trusting stare.  
  
"Everything has been arranged"  
  
Aragorn didn't stop squinting at her  
  
"Trust me"  
  
Worse glare  
  
"Look its nothing bad"  
  
Death glare  
  
"You'll see!" she ended defensively. Slipping closer to Elladan, she whispered in his ear, so quiet it was only audible to him, "I need to talk to you later, about you-know-what, meet me at the stable" Elladan felt his knees buckle a bit, he'd put his foot so far in it his leg was disappearing.  
  
A/N: - So why were they fighting over her? And what's with the book in the funny language? And the surprise? Where exactly do the gypsies fit in? Keep reading to find out! 


	3. Skirts and Steals

Disclaimer: - As usual, the gypsies and Arire.  
  
A/N: - I know it's listed as "action" aswell as romance. so I thought I'd add some here!  
  
Going Stag- Chp 3  
  
Skirts and Steals  
  
"What colour do you think it should be?"  
  
"You mean you haven't decided!"  
  
"I could suggest something"  
  
"G'head Faramir"  
  
"White"  
  
"Why? Because it's clean and classical?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Huh"  
  
"Cause it goes see through when wet"  
  
"Grr!" Liran chucked a cushion at the rugged man shaking with laugher. She pouted and whined, "It's not funny, Faramir! I really can not decide!" Liran had been picking through artist drawings of her potential wedding gowns when the man had rudely interrupted. Lying on her double bed with the pillows stacked up to lean on them, Liran, Arwen and Eowyn tried to choose the best, most flattering and downright lovely dress. So far, nothing fit the bill. Twiddling her long blond hair, Liran suggested, "Perhaps whilst Legolas is away, we should have them brought here"  
  
Arwen thought carefully, as long as none of them returned, it would be fine.  
  
At that moment, Faramir got up and with scruff hair, bowed. The girls laughed at his appearance, as he'd hoped, "I take my leave now my dear love" he crooned kissing Eowyn's hand. She turned her head away, blushing. Swaggering out, he added, "Good day"  
  
He was about to sway more as Arire dashed in, smacking him in the face with the strong and hard door. Hurrying around the door, the flustered young elf saw the girls on the bed, in they're flurry of patterned pillows and delicate depictions, staring at the other side of the door. Faramir swayed on the spot a bit, Arire lunging her arms out when he tilted too much, before he fell, Arire ready to catch him.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, Fara--- Faramir. Oh, You took your time! We've already set the place and we're--- well you know--- Go see Aragorn!" she ordered snappily and pointing at the door, sending confused man away with stars spinning infront of his eyes.  
  
Practically slamming the door after him (causing him to collide with the stone floor in the corridor), Arire turned to her friends, sour looks on their faces.  
  
"But . . . I . . . Oh, Alright"  
  
Calling over her shoulder, "SORRRRRYYYYY!"  
  
"AH! UFH" She frightened him.  
  
"Sorry again" she apologised a little quieter that time.  
  
"'S OK" came his voice in a groggy tone. She could hear him heave off the floor and then stumble away again.  
  
Facing the bed again, she now saw smile. Launching herself, from a run, on to the bed by swing off the top post of the four poster, and jumping over the back, she landed beside Arwen, next to Eowyn and facing the future Mrs Greenleaf (Poor girl, she thought). ] "So, what garment shall be fit for a princess?" she asked flatteringly with the usual twinkle in her eye. Liran didn't look quite as charming; her grey eyes roamed the room discouragingly. Pulling at her cobalt coloured dresses collar, she replied hastily, "I . . . I really haven't picked one"  
  
Arire looked upon the point of disappear, the elf had been picking for weeks on end now, and still she could not decided.  
  
"You'll find the perfect dress," Arire told her encouragingly, patting her arm.  
  
"Besides" she began with a mischievous tone, "It doesn't matter what you wear, you'll still get that come-hither-stare of Legolas anyway. Infact he'd be a lot happier if you turned up wearing only a smile" Arire was next to be hit by a cushion.  
  
Liran wheedled, "I'm serious, Air, what will I do?" Arire scratched her chin in mock deep thought.  
  
"I've got it!" she announced with a gleaming smile.  
  
"Yes" the others said desperately.  
  
"No wait"  
  
The cushions continued to fly.  
  
"Faramir!" Exclaimed Aragorn embracing the large, and for some reason punch- drunk looking man. Examining the marks across his nose, Doctor Legolas made his diagnosis, "Arire hit you in the face didn't she?"  
  
Faramir nodded in pain, he was still a bit stunned.  
  
"With what?"  
  
"A door"  
  
"Ooooohh" the lads remarked (with that remarked that all guys do when one of them gets kicked in the nether regions), taking him to a bed, each thinking about that happening to them and shuddering at the thought. The Elladan and Aragorn sat either sit of the confused man, arms behind him to prop him up. Legolas perched infront incase he took a one-way nose drive to the rock block floor. The sunshine through the window emphasised the bruising now coming out around his half shut eyes, tearing from the pain. Legolas pulled Faramir into his arms, as Faramir could no longer conceal the pain.  
  
Howling like a wolf with its foot caught in a trap, Legolas soothed, "Let it all out, Faramir. Just let it all out"  
  
They all felt for him.  
  
A couple of hours later, Faramir had been debriefed ("Lorien! Ah, ha ha ha" "It's really not funny!"), Liran still hadn't decided on her dress, ("No but this ones pretty . . . Oh but that ones decorated in flowers . . . But still . . .") and Elladan was now waiting for Arire in the stables. To his disappointment she did arrive and even worse was he didn't have to wait long.  
  
Arire stood in the door way and watched Elladan's eyes dart about for some means of escape or excuse not to converse. He found none.  
  
Her slow walk up to him, felt like torture but the elf knew it was better than having to talk. Arire leant on a beam separating town horse pens.  
  
Elladan tried to open his mouth but Arire's quick tongue beat him to it, "Why were you fighting over me?"  
  
"We weren't" There went any window for lying.  
  
Arire narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Arire" he pleaded, "I can't tell you" Shuffling his feet nervously, Arire's heart suddenly softened. Putting her arms around the shaky elf she whispered, "You know you can tell me anything" Her voice was soft, making Elladan feel a bit less like a caged animal.  
  
As much as he wanted to, he just could, "Arire, I . . . I can't"  
  
She was rapidly loosing temperament, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the post infront of her she barked, "I am loosing my temper here! Now Tell Me WHAT IS GOING----"  
  
She didn't get to finish that sentence.  
  
What sound like a herd of Olivaunts running at super speed invading them, was coming from outside.  
  
Arire ran out with Elladan behind, coming down the mountain path was a few wagons accompanied by women and men on horses. The women were beautiful, some with long dark hair flowing behind them, some with hair of burgundy, some the colour of the sun. Their horses were strong stallions and their quick legs and lightening speed, they thundered up to Arire.  
  
Standing infront of the house, Elrond, Arwen, the other girls and the lads, were joined by Elladan and a grinning Arire, the only one who seemed to understand what was going on. The people were fast approaching the bridge to them, Aragorn could now make out the faces of the men, worn and fierce like his. With four-horse abreast, a line of women crossed the bridge, the others spilt on the other side to create a gap. A red headed woman swung her leg over her saddle and landed swiftly on the ground. Three of them ran to the stables.  
  
They wore shirts and skirts made from cloth neatly woven; Elrohir was looking mainly at their legs, the skirts were extremely short after all. The red headed beauty presented herself to Legolas, taking his hand she asked, "Are you the prince of Mirkwood?" she had a strange accent, remembering his fiancée next to him he pulled his hand away.  
  
"I am"  
  
The girl laughed and smiled, her faun coloured eyes glittered; she beckoned four other men to her.  
  
"He is! He is!" she laughed heartily. Eowyn frowned, and she thought Elves were giddy!  
  
The four men seized the elf, pulling him into the wagon, the others, knowing not what to make of it, looked stunned, even Elrond.  
  
The three girls returned with horses.  
  
Arire jumped swiftly onto hers in on fast motion, "Oh boys"  
  
Aragorn went for a horse along with Elladan, a starry eyed Faramir and a lusty Elrohir  
  
"Surprise!"  
  
A/N: - My lord! I've never written an entire chapter in one go I don't think. Well action is here, but who are they? Are they the gypsies? Where are they going with Legolas and why does Elrohir fancy them so badly? (Story promoting again :) And what took Faramir so long?  
  
See that box in the bottom left hand corner, don't hesitate to click it! 


	4. Hook, line and sinker

Going Stag- Chp 4  
  
Hook, line and sinker!  
  
They swiftly rode out of the chasm containing The Last Homely House and sped off along the countryside. Infront were the four leading women, behind were Arire, Aragorn and the others, the wagon followed them with riders next to it and behind, other wagons followed. Each wagon was decorated in floors that moved calmly every time the quick vehicle hit a large rock.  
  
Elrohir charged his horse forward to the leading brunette, "So my dearest woman (Uncontrollable giggling), what brings you to the good prince?" He half expected her to swoon right off her horse, he even took his dark horses reins into one hand, but she simply laughed and waggled her finger, "No, no, no! Curious Elves must mind themselves"  
  
Great, thought Elrohir, Hit on the one who talks in rhyme!  
  
The four front women were clearly the most experienced of the riders, there were two blonds, one with bright sunshine hair of the morning, the other with the hair of sunset, one flaming red head and a brunette.  
  
Desperate for some information, a newly recovered Faramir called out, "I pray you, what are all your names?"  
  
Over her shoulder, the brunette called back, "Cheechillia, to my left is Maniw (Dark blond), Primrose (Light blond) and you must find out the other name by your self"  
  
These women were unlike any manor the elves and Faramir had seen, even Aragorn was a little taken by them. They wore light cloth skirts with blackened or brown boots, some baring patterns of flowers, belts with coins and richly coloured beads, long earrings, wild personalities, some head scarves with delightful colours resting on their mantels and some jewelled tiaras, with beads and gold chains drizzling down their face. Elrohir also noticed that Cheechillia had unusually dark eyes, so chocolate brown in fact that the pupil blurred into the iris. Her dark lips curled into a smile and Elrohir sat enchanted at the crimson colour; so much so he narrowly missed a tree.  
  
Galloping across the landscape together with the new band of riders, Aragorn had to ask Arire something.  
  
"Arire?" Aragorn rode closer to the side of her brown steed, his own white stallion nearly bumping noses with hers.  
  
Arire turned her head to him, a large grin on her face, pretty much anticipating questions about their recent company, "Yes" she replied with an air of excitement. What Aragorn said though shocked her.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Wider grin.  
  
"Between you, Elladan and Elrohir"  
  
She nearly fell off her horse. Her eyes widened in distress- how did he know! HE DOES SPY ON PEOPLE! She knew that he a strong silent type for a reason.  
  
Arire blinked rapidly, and lowered her voice, "How in Middle Earth do you know?" Then a thought occurred to her.  
  
"Do you know why they were fighting?"  
  
Aragorn looked slightly uncomfortable, it was just as good as saying, why yes I do!  
  
Aragorn looked thoughtfully at her, trying to search for the right words to say, he could see in her eyes that the only words she wanted to hear were the truth. Looking back over the rushing green landscape, then to Arire, he said straight forwardly, "It is not my place to say"  
  
Arire's eyes nearly set on fire, in anger she snapped, "What! Why not! If it's about me, surely I have every right to be informed!"  
  
Aragorn shook his head calmly, even though inside he felt uncertain, the elf looked as if she was about to spring off her own horse and jump on Aragorn and wrestle in facts out of him. Luckily she found (some) reason.  
  
"We are stopping in a few hours, and I will trade you for the information" she said slyly. Aragorn could not resist, "Tell me of Elrond's book"  
  
"I will tell you of the book, and a secret from it, but never how to read it"  
  
Aragorn was sold on "tell you of the book"  
  
In the shadow of Caradharas, Primrose cantered her horse to its limit and then turned round, the others halted before her. It was early evening now, and the horses needed to rest and replenish.  
  
Sitting on the cool grass, Arire was narrowing her eyes and loosing her patience with the ranger, Strider  
  
"You"  
  
"You"  
  
"No, You"  
  
"Me? No you first"  
  
"Oh no no, after you"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Ladies first"  
  
Arire growled at him, "You are HOPELESS!"  
  
Aragorn was beginning to enjoy torturing her and making her sweat. Elrohir lay down next to Cheechillia, he lay on his side and leaned on his elbow, she was sitting on a blanket eating fruit, the blanket much like her white skirt. "So tell me, what's a gorgeous woman like you doing with out a man?" he cooed with his usual come-to-bed-with-me eyes. Cheechillia shied her face away in embarrassment and giggled- again- before flirting back at him.  
  
"I have never met a real man like you before" The way she talked was as if the common tongue was a strange unfamiliar language to her. Elrohir was gleaming, his charms never failed. He licked his lips and gazed over the delicate body of his next conquest.  
  
The young woman bent over to him and, by putting her hand on his chest, pushed him to the floor. "Call me Cea" she soothed, edging her lips closer to those of the eager elf. Whoops and cheers sprung up, but Cea wasn't going to give in and ruin her plan. Sitting back up she grinned, "I will see you when the moon has risen" With that she slinked off, her hips moving seductively to a tree where she tied up her horse. Elrohir and turned to Aragorn, "She took the words right from me"  
  
In a daze, almost like a school boy approached by a super model and thinking the typical phrase "She wants me!" Elrohir skipped off in his best cool way to get broken branches for firewood.  
  
Arire on the other hand was now leaning against the wagon and was trying to communicate with the prince within it, "Legolas, can you hear me?" She whispered, unfortunately, a "guard" pulled her away.  
  
"He must remain in secret" the man laughed- was that all these people did!  
  
Arire returned to Aragorns side and sat down softly. They both were suppressing their almost uncontrollable urge to whack some information out of each other by glancing around; trees, fields and the hills bordering mountains were not merely as interesting as secrets. Arire made the first move.  
  
"So" she said shortly, but in a I-don't-care-REALLY kind of way. "So you know something?"  
  
Aragorn looked about briskly, "Yeah" he replied impassively, "Yeah, I know something" Onlookers were stumped at this point.  
  
Arire played with her nut coloured hair. Brushing the grass with her fingertips in a casual way, avoiding looking Aragorn in the eye like he was to her.  
  
"So, I know something" she went on vaguely.  
  
Aragorn fidgeted a bit, "I know you do. Some interesting something"  
  
"As is you're . . . Something"  
  
"We could exchange . . . somethings" Aragorn suggested openly, at least everything was going somewhere now.  
  
"Exchange my something, in return for your something?" Arire asked in an airy voice. Elrohir looked at them from a far, brave, he thought, crossing Arire took a lot of bravery.  
  
Aragorn was considering he proposal, his brain had already screamed no, but for effect and bravado sake, he waited and then "Ok"  
  
Wandering off to behind a tree, out of ear shot, or so they thought, Arire went first . . . well so to speak.  
  
"How can we be fair?" she pondered aloud, one could say their secret and the other withhold their own.  
  
"Write it down, perhaps?" Aragorn said to her. This was brilliant, or so she thought, one could write "THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION!" But, the potential was there.  
  
"Both write it down then read it out line by line!" she announced in Urika! Fashion.  
  
"Oh you're a regular genius" Aragorn commented sarcastically, he was compensated with a punch so hard he fell to the floor face first. Mental note: - Very stupid!  
  
Arire pulled out some parchment and loaded quills. "Well!" she snapped.  
  
Aragorn had no idea what rattled her cage, but wrote just the same.  
  
Dear Arire  
  
"Oh wait, I'm reading this out"  
  
"Close you mouth and concentrate on you essay!"  
  
"For the love of Valar"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Er I said. . . First you write faster"  
  
Aragorn continued his letter,  
  
The reason they were fight was cause they are both ("Hum, what the most poetical way to put this) madly in love with you and refuse to admit it to you, themselves or each other. They are both totally hopeless and refuse to use the following on you, pick-up lines, any form of flirting and any attempt to promote more closeness between you. One accused the other, can't remember who, in the blur fighting they both looked the same, most elves with the same hair colour do, and they just basically scrapped it out.  
  
At the bottom of the page in small print;  
  
This letter is copyright Aragorn Estel work, any attempt to sell or publish this letter to elves, dwarves or men will be found and the offenders will be hung feet first over a cliff. Have a nice day!  
  
Arire however was more to the point than contrary Aragorn.  
  
Book secret language of my people, people hide in Fangorn forest, amazed you didn't see them. The book is a series of maps, fighting techniques and secrets of our people- yes more secrets and you can not find out about the history of my . . . well I've said enough.  
  
Five minutes saw both of their pieces completed. They had decided against reading them out and made an exchange, just as Elladan appeared behind them.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Both of them jumped 30 feet in the air and hurriedly stuffed their letters into their pockets, with the expression of GUILTY on their faces.  
  
"What . . . Are you too Ok?"  
  
Aragorn got up and ran straight back to camp, "I'm fine, just thirsty" he shouted back, bolting light lightening across the star strewn sky.  
  
"What's that in your pocket?" Elladan asked quickly snatching the note form Air.  
  
A/N: - So what will happen? Will Elladan read the note? Will Aragorn read his and who else will know the two secrets? 


	5. Lorien already

Going stag. Chpt 5: -  
  
Reacting much quicker than even Elladan would have expected, she had swiped it back. "I don't believe that was for your eyes" she remarked heatedly. The dark haired elf held up his hands quickly, "Don't shoot" he said, almost flirtly. Arire would have seen that a mile away usually but Aragorn shouting, "WHAT!" stopped her, he'd read her note. Quickly skimming over his, picking up her jaw and joining the ranger and clapping a hand over his mouth she growled, "I always keep my word!"  
  
"But I told you everything!" he said as if she'd taken his favourite sword.  
  
Her eyes danced and all she could say was, "Tough" Elrohir has just stumbled up to them, a suspect bottle in his hand, which was close to empty.  
  
"Heeeeeeey good lookin'" he crooned to a tree and then staggered to a log, fell over and slept for the rest of the night.  
  
Arire laughed inwardly, "Valar what did I ever do to deserve him" She suddenly to Strider and met his glance.  
  
"Your note . . . were you . . . exaggerating any small, large or in between part of it?"  
  
Aragorn shrugged and began staring at the "interesting" landscape once more. Arire was close to inflicting pain upon him when a yelp was heard from the wooden wagon, a familiar whine of one Legolas Greenleaf followed by a yell, "Unhand me!"  
  
"You should be s'lucky," responded Faramir, Aragorn looked questioningly at Arire, yes, they were they only two sober in camp gypsy.  
  
"I'm not wearing that!"  
  
"Oh yes mister elf, we wear them our selves"  
  
Arire rolled her green eyes; one of the rhyming showgirls had a grasp on Legolas.  
  
Thought out an infinitely long night both strider and Arire heard yelps form Elladan (a mountain goat to a shine to him), screams of pain from the Mirkwood born prince, the odd chat up line from Elrohir and Faramir . . .well he snored.  
  
For three days they travelled and after the incident of their first night said little to one another, Arire and Aragorn would occasionally shared angry, confused or desperate glances but neither said much of them. Elladan however began to notice Arire avoiding him like a pack of wild orcs (which infact she might welcome for drinking games), he repeatedly went out of his way to catch her eyes, riding into numerous unpleasant objects (mainly thorns) doing so until he succeeded in cornering her.  
The band of merry men and women stopped on the eve of the fourth day, only one more days riding to go until they met the woods of Lorien. "Where are you going, fair maiden?" Faramir asked of Arire charmingly, she giggled, "Give me you skin and I will fill it up" she said like some one who was exhausted and she disappeared into the foliage by a riffle in the river. Arire heard Elladan before scenting him and pulled her knife from her side and with instinct reactions drove it towards the elves neck. She lowered her guard as quick as she drew it. Elladan wasted no time, "You've been quiet" he said obviously meaning something else. Arire looked about, the evening sun was setting beyond any borders she could see, he birds chirped and rustled in their nests, sighing heavily she replied, "Yes, I have been avoiding you"  
Elladan raised his eyebrow suspiciously but did not correct her, "Well at least you noticed" She frowned at him, "Elrohir told me it was because . . . how did he say it, I am "the unattractive brother"" Arire laughed but thought she might aswell tell him. She searched briefly in her pockets and pulled out a crumpled note written in Aragorns scrawl.  
"You can read his, it'll explain a lot," she said shakily, Elladan sensed this was bad; Arire was demonstrating signs of basic emotions and sorrow- very bad. Elladan's dark eyes made short work of the letter, laughing at Aragorns attempt of copywriting he remarked, "You don't believe him do you!" He laughed with sweat running down his brow. Arire delayed her reaction before laughing, "Huh, oh Valar no, I reckoned it to be quite amusing, thought you might laugh at it . . . oh look meals here" An animal scampered into view and Arire hurtled off with her bow and arrow tight in her hands glad of the fuzzy animal.  
  
Aragorn sat alone on a fallen branch remarking at Arire's note, it hardly said more than he knew, he knew she was no elf nor man, possibly a vertically challenged dwarf on account of her temper, but her was never sure. Running his fingers though his scruffy brown hair he read and reread her writing, her people, Fangorn forest, was she a tree?! It was Elrohir who knocked him out of thought, literally, he fell into him after taking a hit in the arm. Looking as though the stars in front of his eyes weren't thoses in the sky Aragorn said slyly, "Still irresistible to all"  
  
Elrohir looked offended and stood up, "To any female of elven kin or any other" he retorted huffily. To give the elf some credit he was damn good looking, dark eyes, devilish smile and velvet voice not to mention a decent dress sense and a chat up line for every occasion, Elrohir was close to irresistible. He could probably find his way into Galadriel's pants (assuming she wore pants as there has been great speculation after an accusation made by the hobbit Sam wise Gamgee).  
  
In an attempt to change the subject, "Where's Legolas, are they staving him or something? I know his suits . . . far from roomy but" Aragorn scratched his chin- he needed to shave. "I think you have a point, I keep hearing him scream" Faramir approached and perched on the end of the log, "You hear him to? It grieves me deeply to hear such a strong man yell, "Get that dress away from me!" and "No you can not perm my hair"" he said dreamily, his eyes glazed slightly. Elrohir gazed at him with a mixture of anger and pride, "You found the last bottle of that wine we were drinking, didn't you?" Faramir nodded and fell to sleep, that was a loud and happy YES!  
  
The next evening they reached Loriens borders, the air was still and only bird ruffled the leaves of trees, the hue of light cast over the greenery by the setting sun was like no other in the land, even the giggling gypsies were speechless, for a few minutes. Maniw flung herself from her horse and beckoned to the others to stop, Aragorn jumped down to meet her. "I think it best if I enter first, these are my people" he suggested cautiously. Maniw blushed and linked his arm and with unseen strength pulled him into the undergrowth, Arire made to follow but Cheechillia held her arm, her vibrant her flew in the wind as the woman laughed, "They enter alone, to see who's home" Elrohir rolled his eyes, the rhyming, though painful at times had grew on him. "Might I ask why?" he called out, Cheechillia turned and winked at him, "No good elf, you may not" It was at that time the raven-haired woman steeped out from the creaking wagon where the woodland prince had been; she herself had not been seen since the first day of their journey.  
  
"Thank you Meri for gracing us" Arire commented brushing her slightly less glamorous brown hair out of her eyes. The woman giggled, surprisingly, and asked, "Who among you will lead the Prince with me to the gate?" Imaginary hands of the males shot up. Faramir, now fully recovered asked soothingly, "Where my lady is this gate?"  
  
Meri tutted at him, "If you do not know then you may not go" she almost sang back to him  
  
Arire knew full well only Aragorn and herself knew of the gates location, "I shall aid you in your . . . task" 


End file.
